Thomas a



(N0 M-ddel.)

T. A. GRIFFIN 82; O. ALKINS.

LINK MACHINE.

w W WW 8 9 e w H An 6 n av t THOMAS A. GRIFFIN AND CHARLES ALKINS, OFCHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNORS TO THE AJAX FORGE COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

LINK-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 326,973, datedSeptember 29, 1885.

Application filed June 1, 1885.

T 0 at whom, it may concern:

Be it known that we, THOMAS A. GRIFFIN and CHARLES ALKINS, both of thecity of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have madecertain new and useful Improvements in Link-Machines, of which thefollowing is a sufficiently full, clear, and exact specification,reference being had to the drawings accompanying the same.

Our improvements are designed specially for gradually bending,withoutscams or splits, and with an even distribution of metal at the bend, oflinks for coupling railroad-cars, but are also adaptable to makingchain-links of any size; and, further, are designed to combine in onemachine an automatic arrangement of parts for cutting off the feed'rodat the proper length, bending the same, and delivering the bent rod orpartially-completed links into a pile or basket; and our inventionconsists in the improvements and combinations hereinafter set forth andclaimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 shows a side elevation with the wheel Gpartially broken away; Fig. 2, a plan of the machine, and Fig.

3 is a perspective of the form of carrier which we prefer.

P is the belt-wheel, connected by its axle and the cog-wheel G to thewheel G, upon the center of the axle of which is a sprocket wheel, thesprockets of which may be forked or pointed and engage at anypredetermined intervals with the links of the endless chain D, andimpart motion to the latter.

Attached to the endless chain at convenient distances are carriers orbenders C,which we prefer to be of the shape and construction shown inFig. 3. The face of the bender which is presented to the rod or bar tobe bent may be beveled to prevent the rod or bar from being raised fromthe table and wrongly presented to the mouth of the rollers; but byextending the endless chain back from the mouth of-the rollers, and soplacing the sprocketwheel S as that the carrier C shall be presentedhorizontally to the rod or bar, the latter may be made, as shown in Fig.8, with satisfactory results, as we have demonstrated by practical useof this machine.

(No model.)

I is an oval plate or apron, of any desired pitch and angle, whichreceives the partiallycompleted link from the carrier C, and deposits itat any desired point about the machine. Upon the shaft of thebelt-wheel, at O, we put an eccentric, which, by means of the rod M,operates the movable knife K the front face of which is beveled, asshown, so as that after the rod or bar has been cut off between theknives K and K at the proper length it will ride upon said bevel ontothe table. The knives may be located at any point on the table bylengthening or shortening the rod M. The rod or bar is bent against andguided by the rollers A A, which are adjusted in the east or wroughtframes, between which and the bed-plate or table they are pivoted in anyof the well-known methods.

Any number of pairs of rollers may be used and adjusted according to thesize and weight of the rod or bar to be bent; but we prefer for thepurpose named to use two pair, relatively arranged substantially asshown. Smooth posts may be substituted for said rollers.

\Ve have invented and thus described a simple, effective, and automaticmachine, requiring only the attendance of a feeder, for bending withoutscams or splits, and with an even distribution of metal at the bend, andfor delivering sections of a bar or red ready for welding into completelinks, and also, in combination therewith, mechanism for cut ting therod into the requisite lengths; and the said mechanism is so combinedand may be worked with so little lost motion and so rapidly as that itis possible to so cut the rod and afterward bend it without additionalheat, as described.

\Ve claim 1. The combination,with mechanism for operating the same, ofan endless chain provided with carriers which take the rod-sectionthrough guiding or forming rollers, and two pairs of said rollers sorelatively arranged as to form a funnel-mouth, producing a gradualbending of the rod-section, all constructed and arranged substantiallyas and for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination,with mechanism for 0perating the salne, of an endlesschain, carriers and two pairs of rollers arranged to form a or bendersthereon, guiding or forming rollers, fun nel-mouth, substantially asshown and de- 10 and the beveled plate or apron I, substanscribed.

tially as and for the purpose set forth. THOMAS A. GRIFFIN.

3. The combination, in a bending-machine, CHARLES ALKINS.

of the beveled knife K the knife K, and Witnesses:

mechanism for bending the rod-section, con- P. H. T. MASON,

sisting of an endless chain carrying benders, G. F. CLAUGH.

